In recent weeks a lot have been said, written and shown in commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington during which civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. roared four words that reverberated around the world and changed the course of history and this nation for the better: “I have a dream.”

Some of us were just born in 1963 or were kids when King uttered those words. I, and all the members of our Somali community in Lewiston and Auburn today, were in our homeland then and knew nothing about this gigantic man and his vision for America.

We also never envisioned that someday we would come to live in this country and call it home. In addition, it never occurred to any of us that not only would we learn about this great man, but that we would live under his legacy, too.

King’s sacrifices, and the sacrifices his colleagues made, are what all Americans — including new Americans like ourselves — rest upon today.

Fifty years after King’s speech, we have a black president in the White House and at least a portion of King’s dream and vision is coming to light. But, again, this nation still has a long way to go before racism is stamped out.

The good thing about the United States of America, and a thing which gives everyone hope, is that the majority of Americans stand for the good and well-being of all.

When our community was targeted by others who did not see eye-to-eye with the late Dr. King or the larger population of the United States, the good people of Maine stood with us in solidarity and in one voice said “no” to racism and bigotry.

On Jan. 11, 2003, people came to Lewiston in droves from across the state to support us, arriving by buses, vans and carpool to attend the Many and One Coalition event at Bates College. Young, old, male and female, we all stood together.

That day the Lewiston Police Department, supported by their colleagues from Auburn and elsewhere, stood ready in full riot gear, helmets, batons and tear gas canisters in place.

I overheard an elderly local person uttering “Oh my god, what is this place coming to? It looks like the Deep South in history this morning.”

Actually it did, minus the unprecedented violence seen in Alabama, Mississippi and other southern states.

State and city officials spoke to those gathered in the Merrill Gym. A humble letter of support from Mohamed Ali, the all-time world boxing champion, was read to the crowd. It was a morning like no other in Lewiston.

Since that morning, much still needs to be done to improve the lives of all our people in Maine. We believe that some barriers in housing, employment and education have been partially broken down. Our children are accepted and given equal education opportunities with their peers and have been doing well in school.

We appreciate the hard work of all administrators and educators throughout the school systems. It is with their hard work and continued professional work that has lead to such positive outcomes.

We know and believe that educating our children will allow them to contribute to society and give back to the communities they live in and become useful members and citizens of this great state and nation.

But still more needs to be done to ensure that the kids excel and go through college safely. For some families, the generation of kids now growing up in Maine will be the first to ever have a meaningful education and become college graduates. This is very important to them, as it is to all parents. At the end of that day, these young people see themselves as true Mainers. We all are Mainers now.

The Twin Cities of Lewiston and Auburn, headed by great mayors, are stronger and attractive due to the diversity which is so evident everywhere today.

It is something to celebrate at this time, to see children from different races, religions and cultures befriending one anther, going to school together and playing on the same teams. Slowly but surely neighbors are accepting one another and are living together in peace and harmony.

These positive developments, however small they appear to be, I believe, are just some of the things Dr. King was talking about and sacrificed his life for. His actions and sacrifice changed this country for the better.

We pray to see that more good things happen. That peace and tranquility continue to reign in our cities and neighborhoods. That bad deeds and acts remain a thing of the past and that Lewiston and Auburn become success stories.

In that spirit, and in our own little way, we can celebrate the legacy of Dr. King and all the heroes of the civil rights movement, black and white alike, who sacrificed to make the United States of America remain as envisioned in the Declaration of Independence: that all men are created equal.

Mohamed S. Abdi is a Somali community leader and humanitarian worker. He lives in Auburn.